Expenses

How do I edit an error made in an expensis that has been submitted?
I mean how do I edit an expenses that has been submitted?

In MLS, open the original expense and correct the error there, then do a send/receive. You should print expense report again and file it with the original expense documentation for audit purposes.

You will most likely have printed a check in completing the process. Follow the instructions found in the Help Center article Misprinted Checks and print the replacement check after the original expense has been corrected.

What if the expenses in MLS has been approved and can not be edited?
Approved expenses in MLS can not be changed or edited. how do you go about that?

What kind of change are you trying to make? You should be able to re-classify the expense, but I doubt if you can change the amount.

sethoo wrote:What if the expenses in MLS has been approved and can not be edited?
Approved expenses in MLS can not be changed or edited. how do you go about that?

You should be able to edit the category of any check expense within the US/Canada. If the amount was wrong then you need to void the previous check and issue a new one.

If the expense is a transfer then you can't edit it. To adjust the category you'd have to make a transfer from the incorrect category to the correct category assuming they are within the same top level category. To correct an incorrect transfer between top level categories you have to print a check and then deposit it back into your account.

For other kinds of expenses (in areas other than the US or Canada) you'd need to check with your area office on how to handle correcting mistakes. I'm guessing your talking about some non-check expense outside the US/Canada because the term Approved isn't used for checks here (it's either Issued or Cleared). If that's the case, it would help to know what area you are in. It's possible some other user may know what to do.

I actually have the same question. I am the financial clerk but was out of town when the bishopric cut a check. When I came back to look at how they performed things I noticed that we overpaid by 11 cents because the person who turned in the receipt got a little dyslexic on the tax. The member claimed 1.76 but the receipt was for 1.67. The check had been cashed. Now I don't know what to do. I was going to get 11 cents from member and update the expense in the computer but it doesn't let me. What do I do?

I found in the forums the exact situation that I just described (https://tech.lds.org/forum/viewtopic.ph ... nt#p113935). I tried to do what was said, but MLS does not allow for the adjustment of the tax (I do live in Utah). This is why I am asking for help.

You can't change the total of the check once it's been cashed. You may be able to shift the amount between categories, but that's about it.

Try having the member make a $0.11 donation to that specific budget category.

I would treat this similarly to an "advance". The member can return the 9 cent difference the same way excess advance payments are returned.

sah22 wrote:I actually have the same question. I am the financial clerk but was out of town when the bishopric cut a check. When I came back to look at how they performed things I noticed that we overpaid by 11 cents because the person who turned in the receipt got a little dyslexic on the tax. The member claimed 1.76 but the receipt was for 1.67. The check had been cashed. Now I don't know what to do. I was going to get 11 cents from member and update the expense in the computer but it doesn't let me. What do I do?

The responsible thing to do in this case is nothing. We're talking about 9 cents here. There's a general accounting principle of materiality, and this amount is not even close to material. I appreciate your attention to detail, but any change you try to make will cost you, the member, and the Church far more than 9 cents in time and actual costs. I'd just make a note on the documentation for the expense about the discrepancy, declare it to be immaterial, and move on. No reasonable auditor would have a problem with that.

aebrown wrote:I'd just make a note on the documentation for the expense about the discrepancy, declare it to be immaterial, and move on. No reasonable auditor would have a problem with that.

I agree with you in principle, but I have seen a few unreasonable auditors, as I am on the stake audit committee. As long as ward and stake leaders are aware of this issue, and document it prior to the next audit, an unreasonable auditor will be on the wrong side if he attempts to cite it as an audit exception, and will be left to kick against the pricks.

Thanksforresponses. I will do that but it still messes up church tax records. They will have claimed 11 cents for tax exemption.

There might be a way to adjust the expense that fixes the tax portion without changing the total.

Not that i could find. That's why i came here.

drepouille wrote:

aebrown wrote:I'd just make a note on the documentation for the expense about the discrepancy, declare it to be immaterial, and move on. No reasonable auditor would have a problem with that.

I agree with you in principle, but I have seen a few unreasonable auditors, as I am on the stake audit committee. As long as ward and stake leaders are aware of this issue, and document it prior to the next audit, an unreasonable auditor will be on the wrong side if he attempts to cite it as an audit exception, and will be left to kick against the pricks.

Oddly enough, a very similar thing happened in my ward yesterday. A Cub Scout leader had purchased several items for the Pinewood Derby, and submitted several receipts, split among three reimbursement forms. I told my finance clerk to combine the three reimbursement forms, and just print one check. He did not double check the amounts written on the forms against the attached receipts.
I have learned through experience that Rule #1 is to never trust the numbers written on reimbursement forms, but to verify the amounts against the receipts, and to verify the math.
A reimbursement for $4.30 was requested, but the receipt showed a sales amount of $4.28, with two cents returned as change. Since my assistant had already printed the check, I simply wrote an explanation for the variance on the check stub and the expense form, and asked the bishop to sign to show his approval.
I also sent an email to the other members of the stake audit committee (of which I am a member), and they agreed that it is not worth the cost of printing a second check or creating a donation transaction of 2 cents to balance the books.

I have the same problem, but I don't see any solution above. The amount recorded in MLS is incorrect ($XXX.XX), but the check was issued and already cashed for $YYY.YY. So what do we do now? I can't edit the expense in MLS (except to void it... but again, the check is already cashed). Any help?

[Moderator edit: Replaced digits with letters.]

If you underpaid, then write another check. If you overpaid, ask the member to return the amount of the overage. When you receive and deposit the returned overage, choose Anonymous as the donor name.
Last year, we overpaid our EQP by $2.00, and he was happy to return the overage in a donation envelope.

Rather than use a donor name of Anonymous use the ward name since the original funds came from the ward.

jdlessley wrote:Rather than use a donor name of Anonymous use the ward name since the original funds came from the ward.

Good idea! Thanks!

I have made a few errors on the Action items section So i tried to click on the adjust expense to change amount total. however in theprocess of it, it made a duplicate of it. Can someone direct me to how i can fix this error?

(I am a first time assistant financial clerk)
I have a similar situation, but folks are requesting reimbursements for less than what they paid for.
For example, the receipt will show $12.34 but the person will have only requested $12.00.

Should I simply change the amount myself or have them re-submit another request? If we reimburse less than what they actually paid I'm fairly certain we will get called out for it during the next audit.
I know this might be a bit picky but just want to make sure I don't mess things up

Errors in what is requested to be reimbursed and what is on the documentation (receipts) needs to be resolved before approving the payment request. This usually involves contacting the payee to resolve the discrepancy. Once resolved you can annotate the resolution either on the payment request or by attaching another document describing the error and how it was resolved. Include your signature or initials as the one making the correction. There may be situations where a correction is not sufficient and the person submitting the payment request will need to resubmit with more complete documentation, additional documentation, or their own added written explanation as to why the documentation provided and the requested amount are different.

I will usually make the corrections myself when there is a math error, a receipt has personal purchases included with the reimbursable items, and/or the adjustment for the removed personal items resulted in a tax computation error.

hernandez.maroon@gmail.com wrote: Sun Apr 16, 2023 11:25 am For example, the receipt will show $12.34 but the person will have only requested $12.00.

jdlessley provides good information. I would just add that sometimes the person intends to request less than the amount on the receipt either because there are also personal expenses on the receipt or for some other reason. Once you have confirmed that they requested the amount they intended to, it's OK to reimburse for less than is on the receipt. But as jdlessley said, make sure to document it (if I confirm by email then I usually just include a copy of the email chain). If you have confirmed and documented things then you shouldn't have any problem in the audit.